Improvement in steam vacuum-pumps



J. H. PATTEE.

Patented Aug. 6,1872.

'UNITED STA'rEs Pa'rrnv'r Orrrcn.

JAMES H. PATTEE, OF MONMOUTII, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM VACUUM-PUMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,309, dated August 6, 187:2.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. PATTEE, of the town of Monmouth, in the county of Warren and in the State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Double-Action and Steam Vacuum-Pumps for drawing water; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a partof this specication, in which like letters of reference refer to like parts, and in which- Figure l represents an elevation of the pump, partly sectional below, to show the section ofthe piston-cylinder C of the eut-off, and also the lower water-passages; Fig. 2, plan, the dotted lines indicating the lower water-passages; Fig. 3, a section of one pumpcylinder across the lower water-passages, or from cylinder C to box m, in such a meandering line as will best illustrate the connections made by the water-passages.

This invention is an improvement in doubleaction steam vacuum-pumps for drawing water, and relates more particularly to a device for working them automatically; and consists in placing between the two pump-cylinders a smaller cylinder, the upper part of which communicates by passages with one of the pumpchambers ou one side, and by a similar passage from the lower end of said cylinder with the other pump chamber or cylinder on the other side. Said cylinder has a valve-seat above and below, at the entrance of said passages, and between said seats a loose piston plays at each change in the direction of the current of the water as either pump is emptied,

which piston is connected by aY rod and crank and small shaft. With a three-way cock situated in the steam-supply pipe of the pump, the emptying of one of the pumps through the discharge-pipe causes a dow of water toward it along the pipes or passages in the smallA cylinder which contains the piston, which current carries with it the piston, which, being connected with the three-way cock for supplying steam to the pump, automatically works the latter and reverses the action of the pump.

A B represent the two pump-,cylinders of a steam vacuum-pump. Each may be lined with wood, and with proper steam-detlectors over der to condense the steam.

each orifice of the steam-induction pipe, to prevent the steam from striking and heating the Water. Each cylinder communicates with the other by pipes a a F G I I at or underthe bottom of same. The water-induction pipe F F branches outward from the pipe F, and the discharge-pipe J passes downward from the valve-chamber m at the junction of the pipe J with the pipes I I. rlhe valves in this chamber open upward from the orifices of the latter pipes j', dotted in the drawing. G G, condensing-pipes for throwing a jet of Water into either pump-chamber and, at their junction having an upright pipe, H, which terminates above in the usual air-chamber l, and having above the said junction a valve, r. A short distance above this valve a pipe, g, branches from the pipe H to the valve-chamberm. The pipes G G terminate within their respective pump-cylinders in a nozzle for throwing a small stream of water .to the top of the cylin- 'lwo `Valves, e e, are seated, one at the orifice of each inductionwater pipe F in the pump-cylinder. The latter are connected at the top by steam-induction pipes D D, which are supplied by the steam-pipe E, at the junction of which pipe is placed a three-way cock, lo. C represents a cylinder, communicating by passage a out of its upper end with the bottom of the pumpcylinder A, and by another pipe, a', (or passage,) from the bottom of said cylinder Owith the other pump-cylinder B, or vice versa. A piston, Z1, attached to the rod or stem h, moves loosely within the cylinder C between the valve-seats or flanged passages c d. The upper seat o opens into a small chamber, p, at the upper part of said cylinder, and from which chamber the pipe a departs. rIhe rod h of piston b is connected with-a crank, z', and an axle, o, which terminates in a three-way cock, k, at the junction of the steam-supply pipes E D D for alternate filling of pump-cylinders A B with steam. Pet-cocks maybe inserted in either cylinder A B to admit air to prevent the inrush of water from entirely occupying the whole cylinder and to leave space for the operation of the steam.

The operation of this pump is as follows: Having produced a vacuum in both chambers A B, and a consequent filling of said chambers with water through the inlet-pipe F I1 2 ranges and branch pipe-F and valves e e, steam is admitted through theIthree-Way cock k into the cylinder A, which Will expel Water through the pipe I into the valve-chamber m and up the discharge -pipe J, at the same time forcing Water up condensing-pipe Gr into the upright condensing-pipe H, compressing the air in the air-chamber l, the cock r having been left open when Water was let into the pump-cylinder from the air-chamber l to produce the rst vacuum. Water having been thus expelled from A, and steam coming in contact with the bottom of its chamber, and a small portion exhausting through the discharge-pipe I, slightly relieves the pressure in cylinder A, when a jet of Water will be expelled from the nozzle of pipe G into said chamber by pressure from the air-chamber Z on the Water in H. rlhe steam thus forming a partial vacuum, the Water, by its gravity, begins to flow from cylinder B to cylinder A, carrying the piston b to the top of the cylinder C, and with the piston the rod 7c, moving the crank t' and axle o and the three-Way cock k, thus cutting off steam from cylinder A, at the same time admitting steam to cylinder B simultaneously With the closing by the piston b of the upper valve-seat c of cylinder O, preventing further passage of Water from B to A. Steam noW passing into cylinder B, the Water is forced through pipe I, box m, and dischargepipe J. At the same time Water is expelled through condensing-pipe Gr int-0 cylinder A by a jet, simultaneously With a discharge from the chamber m, throughpipe g, down pipe H, into pipe G and cylinder A, completing the vacuum in the latter, which noW is lled With Water, While cylinder B is emptying by discharge through pipes I and J. When B is depleted theV Water, partly by its gravity, its

level being above that of the piston-chamber C, produces a reflex or contrary flow of Water through the pipes a a and cylinder C, which forces the piston b downward to its lower seat d, cutting off further flow of Water from A to B, depressing rod h, and cutting off 1 steam from cylinder B, and admitting steam to cylinder A, thus continuing the process of alternately emptying and lling the pump-cylinders.

`What I claim as my invention is' yl. In a steam vacuum-pump, the cylinder C, when placed in such aposition, and so connected by passages a a to the pump-cylinders A B, that a current of Water Will pass alternately from one pump-cylinder to the other at each alternate emptying of said cylinders A B, and carry with it the piston b to operate the steam-valve k, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The valve-seats c d and piston b, when the latter acts as a valve to close the passage at the end of each stroke of the piston b, as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination of the condense-pipes G G H and the cross-pipe g, (connecting the pipe H With the valve-box 011,) the valve-box m, and the discharge-pipe J, constructedand arranged substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvement in steam vacuum-pumps I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of May, A. D. 1871.

.I AMES Il'. PATTEE.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. VVELLs, JAMES M. MoRsE. 

